It seems that most of you in Daily Kos continue to make fun of McCain's ads and tactics. How many f--in elections do you have to lose before you realize that these ads (even if they're not well done) are effective.
As a labor leader of a 2000 member union, and one whose members have gone door to door in white working class neighborhoods of union members, I can tell you that McCain has high positives (over 55% of union households view him positively). They view him as a maverick and strong on international issues.
If we don't bring down those positives we will lose.
I've spoken with the Obama campaign at various levels. And while many of them tell me they agree that Obama has to start running aggressive ads exposing McCain, there is no evidence that their pacifist campaign will change.
It is clear what Obama should have done and should start to do.
Over 2 months ago, when McCain said on two occasions that Iran was training Al Queda (only to be corrected by Lieberman blowing in his ear), Obama should have run an ad showing the utter lack of basic knowledge that McCain has of Shia and Sunni.
When McCain spoke of present day Czechoslavakia, Obama should have run another ad showing McCain's knowledge is lacking. Instead Obama did nothing.
There should not be one ad that Obama runs that doesn't have the figure 97% to designate that McCain is not a maverick, but has backed Bush 97% in the Senate.
Opportunities have been lost because of a philosophy that assumes the public doesn't want negative ads or some delusional principle that it isn't worth winning the Presidency by going negative.
Lets face the facts. The blogosphere is not representative of white working class voters. If you want to win this election you have to show: 1) You're willing to fight to win and 2) You expose McCain on the issues in a strong and consistent way.
Please don't buy the coolaid that this election is all about Obama. It is about McCain and his closeness to Bush policies. If Obama doesn't spend most of his time and money on making the case against McCain, he will lose.
The lead he has will evaporate, just like Kerry, Gore and many others before him. Doesn't anyone else out here see the obvious?